Reentrant tuning
Encyclopedia
A reentrant tuning is a tuning of a stringed instrument where the strings (or more properly the courses
on coursed instruments) are not ordered from the lowest pitch to the highest pitch (or vice versa).
A break in an otherwise ascending (or descending) order of string pitches is known as a reentry. Most common reentrant tunings have only one reentry; In the case of the soprano ukulele, for example, the reentry is between the third and fourth strings, while in the case of the Venezuelan cuatro
it is between the first and second strings.
Instruments often tuned in this way include:
The tunings of coursed instruments such as the twelve-string guitar and twelve-string bass
are not considered reentrant provided that the principal string of each course is ordered from lowest to highest.
Non-reentrant tunings, also known as low-4th tunings, exist for these instruments.
In general, the smaller the ukulele the more likely it is to be tuned to high-4th tuning, with the soprano almost always tuned in high-4th, and the baritone almost always low-4th.
The ten-string extended-range classical guitar was originally designed for a specific reentrant tuning invented by Narciso Yepes
, now called the Modern tuning. Both this and other reentrant tunings, such as the Marlow tunings, are now used, as well as non-reentrant tunings such as the Baroque.
All of these tunings may also be used on derivative instruments, such as ten-string electric and jazz guitars.
The Venezuelan cuatro is a small member of the guitar family with four nylon strings, and is very similar in size and construction to the ukulele. It is one of several South American instruments by the name of cuatro, which is Spanish for four, and not all of which have four strings.
The traditional tuning is reentrant, but with the reentry between the first and second strings, rather than between third and fourth as in the ukulele. The results are very different in tone.
More modern tunings of the Venezuluelan quatro are non-reentrant.
An enormous variety of tunings are used for the four-string tenor guitar, including a relatively small number of reentrant tunings. One example of a reentrant tuning for tenor guitar is strings 1-3 E-B-G as for the normal 6-string guitar, but string 4 tuned to D an octave above the 4th string of the 6-string guitar.
The fifth string on the five-string banjo, called the thumb string, also called the "drone string", is five frets shorter than the other four and is normally tuned higher than any of the other four, so technically this is a reentrant tuning, albeit not in the more usual sense of the term. The five-string banjo is particularly used in bluegrass music
and old-time music
.
The four-string tenor banjo, more often used in jazz
, lacks this shorter string, and is rarely if ever tuned in reentrant fashion.
Course (music)
A course is a pair or more of adjacent strings tuned to unison or an octave and usually played together as if a single string. It may also refer to a single string normally played on its own on an instrument with other multi-string courses, for example the bass string on a nine string baroque...
on coursed instruments) are not ordered from the lowest pitch to the highest pitch (or vice versa).
A break in an otherwise ascending (or descending) order of string pitches is known as a reentry. Most common reentrant tunings have only one reentry; In the case of the soprano ukulele, for example, the reentry is between the third and fourth strings, while in the case of the Venezuelan cuatro
Cuatro (instrument)
The cuatro is any of several Latin American instruments of the guitar or lute family. The cuatro is smaller than a guitar. Cuatro means four in Spanish, although current instruments may have more than four strings....
it is between the first and second strings.
Instruments often tuned in this way include:
- The soprano, concert and tenor ukuleleUkuleleThe ukulele, ; from ; it is a subset of the guitar family of instruments, generally with four nylon or gut strings or four courses of strings....
.
- The luteLuteLute can refer generally to any plucked string instrument with a neck and a deep round back, or more specifically to an instrument from the family of European lutes....
, particularly varieties with more than seven courses.
- The ten-string extended-range classical guitarTen-string extended-range classical guitarThe ten string extended-range classical guitar, with fully chromatic, sympathetic string resonance was conceived in 1963 by Narciso Yepes, who "ordered the guitar from José Ramírez [III]"...
.
- Some tenor guitarTenor guitar1932 Martin 0-18 T Sunburst Tenor Guitar|thumb|rightThe tenor guitar or four-string guitar is a slightly smaller, four-string relative of the steel-string acoustic guitar or electric guitar. The instrument was developed so that players of the four-string tenor banjo could double on the guitar...
s.
- The Venezuelan cuatroCuatro (instrument)The cuatro is any of several Latin American instruments of the guitar or lute family. The cuatro is smaller than a guitar. Cuatro means four in Spanish, although current instruments may have more than four strings....
.
- The five-string banjo.
- The charangoCharangoThe charango is a small Andean stringed instrument of the lute family, 66 cm long, traditionally made with the shell of the back of an armadillo. Primarily played in traditional Andean music, and is sometimes used by other Latin American musicians. Many contemporary charangos are now made with...
.
- The sitarSitarThe 'Tablaman' is a plucked stringed instrument predominantly used in Hindustani classical music, where it has been ubiquitous since the Middle Ages...
.
The tunings of coursed instruments such as the twelve-string guitar and twelve-string bass
Twelve-string bass
The twelve-string bass is an electric bass with four courses each of three strings.Normal tuning is eeE-aaA-ddD-ggG, with one string of each course tuned similarly to the corresponding string of the four-string bass, and the remaining two strings tuned to the octave.-Notable 12-string Bassists:*...
are not considered reentrant provided that the principal string of each course is ordered from lowest to highest.
Ukulele
The soprano ukulele is the most common instrument normally tuned in reentrant fashion. All ukuleles other than the baritone are most commonly tuned in reentrant fashion. These conventional reentrant tunings are sometimes known as high-4th tunings.Non-reentrant tunings, also known as low-4th tunings, exist for these instruments.
In general, the smaller the ukulele the more likely it is to be tuned to high-4th tuning, with the soprano almost always tuned in high-4th, and the baritone almost always low-4th.
Ten-string guitar
The ten-string extended-range classical guitar was originally designed for a specific reentrant tuning invented by Narciso Yepes
Narciso Yepes
Narciso Yepes was a Spanish guitarist.-Biography:Yepes was born into a family of humble origin in Lorca, Region of Murcia. His father gave him his first guitar when he was four years old. He took his first lessons from Jesus Guevara, in Lorca...
, now called the Modern tuning. Both this and other reentrant tunings, such as the Marlow tunings, are now used, as well as non-reentrant tunings such as the Baroque.
All of these tunings may also be used on derivative instruments, such as ten-string electric and jazz guitars.
Cuatro
The Venezuelan cuatro is a small member of the guitar family with four nylon strings, and is very similar in size and construction to the ukulele. It is one of several South American instruments by the name of cuatro, which is Spanish for four, and not all of which have four strings.
The traditional tuning is reentrant, but with the reentry between the first and second strings, rather than between third and fourth as in the ukulele. The results are very different in tone.
More modern tunings of the Venezuluelan quatro are non-reentrant.
Tenor guitar
An enormous variety of tunings are used for the four-string tenor guitar, including a relatively small number of reentrant tunings. One example of a reentrant tuning for tenor guitar is strings 1-3 E-B-G as for the normal 6-string guitar, but string 4 tuned to D an octave above the 4th string of the 6-string guitar.
Banjo
The fifth string on the five-string banjo, called the thumb string, also called the "drone string", is five frets shorter than the other four and is normally tuned higher than any of the other four, so technically this is a reentrant tuning, albeit not in the more usual sense of the term. The five-string banjo is particularly used in bluegrass music
Bluegrass music
Bluegrass music is a form of American roots music, and a sub-genre of country music. It has mixed roots in Scottish, English, Welsh and Irish traditional music...
and old-time music
Old-time music
Old-time music is a genre of North American folk music, with roots in the folk music of many countries, including England, Scotland, Ireland and countries in Africa. It developed along with various North American folk dances, such as square dance, buck dance, and clogging. The genre also...
.
The four-string tenor banjo, more often used in jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
, lacks this shorter string, and is rarely if ever tuned in reentrant fashion.